Notes on Atmospheric Sodium.

Abstract

It is suggested that sodium atoms in the high atmosphere may have a long, though intermittent, free life, despite frequent combination with oxygen atoms to form IVaO, through the reaction NaO + 0 = Na + 02. The source of energy of the light emitted by sodium at night is ascribed to the dissociation energy of oxygen. The level of emis- sion of this light is also discussed